


Time Comes to a Still

by Metal_Gear_XANA



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/M, Older Characters, One-Shot, Post-Time Skip, pre-release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-02 08:56:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19195690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Gear_XANA/pseuds/Metal_Gear_XANA
Summary: Pre-release, 'Fire Emblem: Three Houses'; Time-Skip. Dimitri returned to a spot by the burnt down monastery: a lake. There he unexpectedly bumps into someone who is his enemy, and was once his love: Edelgard. But the man has moved on... Yet why can't he strike her down? The two old friends have a discussion by the very place that they used to study together. Edelgard x Dimitri, one-shot.





	Time Comes to a Still

Time Comes to a Still

**A/N: So how about that e3 2019 trailer? This scenario is based on the five year time-skip.**

* * *

On any other day this would have been considered a peaceful day.

The grass swayed as a gentle sough blew through. A few trees creaked in tune with the vegetation beneath. The sky was clear, with a dash of clouds scattered across the never-ending blue field. Everything fitted the definition of tranquillity.

For Dimitri though it brought sombre memories. 

The former prince was wandering, shockingly without any guards at his side, across the field. His destination was towards the burnt down monastery where just outside the once magnificent building was a lake. He could not pinpoint why he was suddenly so drawn to visiting that body of water. Perhaps he sought some brief retreat from the battlefield: away from the screams, the bloodshed, and mangled corpses that he always encountered. When was it the last time he wasn’t involved in war? He could not recall. It would do him well to find some relaxation, even if it was for a brief moment.

As he rounded the corner of a ruined archway he froze. His single icy eye widened in scandalise. His mouth was agape for a second, only for it to close into a deep frown. Blond eyebrows knitted in caution. A hand glided over the hilt of a dagger he kept close to him. Somehow his already tense stance grew tenfold.

_Edelgard._

The Emperor of Adrestia stood before the lake with her back faced to him. The light breeze blew against her magnificent red cloak, giving off the illusion that she may take flight anytime. Her white hair shun like the finest silver under the sun’s light. In any other situation it would have been a sight to behold. Dimitri shook his head to rid such senseless thoughts. His fingers caressed the hilt of his dagger, as if the weapon was seducing him.

He could kill her here.

Why did that thought cause a pang of remorse in him? They were enemies now; whatever…relationship they had was all in the past. Both of them are rulers of different agendas and countries, and thus they are destined to fight to the death.

But maybe today, with just the two of them, they could not fight?

Was he really so naïve and foolish to think so? If she were in his situation there is no doubt that she would have struck him down. Right? Curses, why was he so hesitant to kill her when he showed no hesitation on the battlefield? He does not have the luxury to grant her mercy! So why was it then that his hand, that was just eager to take the dagger before, now clenched against his hip!?

As if his body was possessed he just moved onwards.

It appeared that she sensed his presence. He could not put into words how he knew, but he knew that she was now aware. Edelgard turned to him. Her expression remained stoic as ever. While she did not look obvious, compared to him with his dark circles under his slightly bloodshot eye, he noticed that she was exhausted. Her hair that was usually flawlessly fashioned into two buns had a series of loose strands fall from their place. She was blinking quite a bit, and her eyes appeared droopy. Regardless she could have easily held her guard against him. The fact that she did not attempt to strike him was… strangely comforting for Dimitri.

Lilac eyes still commanded an authoritative presence. There was a dash of softness, although if one did not know Edelgard as well as Dimitri then one would have missed it.

“You do not plan to strike me,” Edelgard said as a statement, not as a question.

“…I had planned to,” Dimitri uttered bluntly. What point was there in lying?

“Still an honest man it would seem,” Edelgard remarked. It sounded like she was meant to come across as warm, but her words ringed hollow to him. 

Without uttering anything he awkwardly paced over to stand by her side. His blue eye met her steely gaze. Dimitri brushed aside his unkempt blond locks. It was such a meaningless gesture. Was he nervous? Perhaps ‘nervous’ was not the right word. It was more… uncomfortable, in the sense regarding how this situation was going between the two.

A silence graced them. They just stared ahead at the lake before them, where the sun glistened against the surface to make it look like it was made of diamonds. A duck swam atop the lake, completely oblivious of the three-way war going on in Fòdlan. A few leaves from the only standing tree near the lake fell onto the water’s surface, sending ripples towards the two rulers. The only sound was the breeze.

“Do you remember when we used to come here, under that tree, to study together?” Edelgard suddenly spoke up.

Dimitri followed her gaze to the tree she eyed. His expression softened when a flood of warm memories consumed him. He could even visualise, as if he was an onlooker, when he and Edelgard found this spot to study and share notes in silence. There he was, younger, speaking, although he could not hear, to Edelgard enthusiastically about what he was learning and if she shared his interests. While he could not make out what they were saying he heard their distinct laughter echo. Even without knowing what he and Edelgard’s younger selves were saying he knew that they were extremely content and jubilant.

“You were always munching on a series of breads to ease your nerves when studying,” Dimitri stated, visualising the younger Edelgard nervously nibbling on some loaf as she wrote down her notes alongside a speechless Dimitri.

He looked over at her with an undiscernible expression. “It was the one time you did not care about etiquette.”

For less than a second there was a ghost-of-a smile etched on her pale face. It disappeared in no time. “You must have found that strangely endearing.”

“…It was unexpected…” Dimitri admitted, his expression furrowing when he felt something in his heart. _This is inappropriate._  

A part of him told him to leave. Another told him to stay. He was uncomfortable around Edelgard, and yet he has never felt this relaxed in so long. He hated this feeling… but a part of him yearned for its nostalgic presence.

“One time when Ashe had found us studying alone he thought that you and I were on a date,” Edelgard reminisced, her stolid tone increasingly fading away to sound more and more fond and melancholic. “We were both so flustered…!”

Dimitri hummed in agreement as he recalled that very memory. Ashe had teased him to no end, and such teases spread to the other Blue Lions. Felix would not halt his pestering: he’d ask ‘how is your lovely eagle, Dimitri?’, ‘when are you going to ask her out’ to even the most... perverted claims. Even Dedeu, someone who he always thought would back him up, would only offer some knowing smile every time he returned from studying with Edelgard.

That was all in the past. He had to let go.

Red and Blue. Fire and Water. Hot and Cold. Always destined to clash. They were meant to fight. If that were the case, and even if he accepted it to be true, why was he still hesitant?

“What brought you here?” Dimitri inquired, trying to rid his parasitic thoughts.

Edelgard’s lips pursed. Upon closer inspection she appeared even paler than usual. She really was exhausted. “As silly as it sounds I came here to reminiscence about my time at the monastery.”

Lilac eyes softened sombrely. “Though it is unwise to cling to the past…I find myself unable to let go…”

Dimitri bit his lips. Her gaze fell on him, and judging by her expression she seemed to suspect that, that was his reasoning for coming here too. That was preposterous; he came here to find some peace. So why were doubts starting to cloud his mind? No doubt it was due to the unexpected presence of Edelgard. Was it really unexpected though, or did he hope he would see her again under better circumstances-no he did not! 

He wanted to brush aside her questioning gaze regarding his reasoning for being here. His single icy eye took notice of her heeled boots. “You are still short.” 

Her nose tickled, as if she was supressing a snort. She cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him. “You never were one to mock my small stature.”

“I am merely stating a fact,” Dimitri answered, having not considered his statement to be a jest.

An awkward silence came across the two. Edelgard turned her attention away from him to gaze back at the shimmering surface of the lake. Dimitri, unsure of what else to do, followed her gaze to eye the lake. It was such a paradoxical situation; he has never felt this tense, and yet he was at ease. Was Edelgard going through the same dilemma as he was? Why was he still considering her well being, when they are now enemies…? 

“I am hoping that you may end this unnecessary mission of yours,” Edelgard said solemnly, her attention now upon her and Dimitri’s reflection on the watery surface.

His eyebrows furrowed in cantankerous frustration as he turned to her. “I was hoping _you_ would end _your_ petty mission.”

Her expression saddened, although she still appeared resolute with her goal. There appeared a mirthless smile on her pale features. “It is silly… but…”

She turned to face him, that smile of hers still intact. For a millisecond his anger faltered, but he did want to offer her the luxury of stumbling under her presence. 

“…There is still a tiny part of me that still loves you.”  

Dimitri’s heart stopped.

What was he to say? Was there anything to say? 

Soon his utter flabbergast transformed into belligerence. His anger was directed to her and to himself. His teeth audibly gritted and he shook his head. With the unkempt blond bangs over his face he looked like a feral lion ready to pounce.

“I stopped loving you a long time ago.”

There was no look or subtle movement to indicate that Edelgard was hurt by his words. Her mirthless smile still remained, as if she was some puppet that could not contort its facial features. It would have been better if she… reacted in some way.

“Then you are a better leader than I am…” Edelgard spoke quietly, yet her words sounded hollow.

This entire situation was unbearable for the two.

Edelgard let out a deep sigh that she was holding onto for sometime. Without a word she turned around to make leave.

“I shall be leaving now,” she declared. She glanced over at him. “I hope you can find a slither of peace here.” 

With that said she made her leave. Dimitri didn’t turn to watch her leave. There was this suffocating feeling leeching his life away. His heart was aching once more. His anger towards her ignited tenfold. She expected him to find peace here when she just admitted that she still felt something for him!? All these feelings and memories were swirling around his head to create a deadly concoction that harmed his wellbeing. Pleasant memories of the two brought uncertainty; their study gatherings, their smiles of pride offered to each other, their first kiss here-

He stopped loving her. Now he hated her. 

“Perhaps in another life we will not be destined to fight.”

Dimitri glanced over his shoulder to notice that she had come to a halt. Her back was to him. Some repressed part of him suddenly emerged and told him to run and reach to her. His fists clenched. He was being utterly pathetic, acting like some schoolboy around his crush. She is his sworn enemy. When they meet again it will be with their blades. Only one of them will survive. His heart ached at that thought.

“…That is something I can look forward to with you.” Dimitri concluded, and he truly meant it.

He had not moved on. It was a cumbersome aspect that he needed to completely get rid of. Edelgard could not consume his head. The two of them did not have the luxury to think of their past together. 

He hated her.

He hated that he still loved her…


End file.
